Horse ridden by racing legend AP McCoy shot dead in head in sick attack

A MUCH-loved retired racehorse has been shot in the head and killed while grazing in a field in a "sickening" attack.

Thoroughbred Woolfall Treasure, known as "Woolfie", was ridden by top jockeys including AP McCoy and Richard Hughes during his career.

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But the 11-year-old was found near Kemnal Manor Stables in Chislehurst, Kent,  on Friday afternoon with a lethal wound to his head.

Stables manager Justine Bowdery has now promised a reward of £3,000 to help snare the gunman.

“The police said the gun they used is highly dangerous. It wasn’t an air rifle. This was a proper handgun," she told the .

“Whoever did it, they went up to the horse and shot him at point blank range in the head."

Woolfie retired in 2013 after 42 flat and 15 jump races.

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He was owned and cared for by Myra McKenna since retiring from a career which saw him win 8 times in a 58 race career.

The 58-year-old said Woolfie meant "everything" to her, and explained that he had been nursed back to health following a leg injury in April.

“He was a real character, so many people loved him," she added, giving credit to the stables for their support.

She said that police had told her the shot came from a "powerful weapon that shouldn’t be on the streets", and described the perpetrator as "someone that’s very sick".

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A has been set up to raise money for Woolfie's burial by Ms McKenna's friends.

It reads: "This is a very sad time for the owner and is still in total shock so we thought, to help ease her pain and worry, we would try to raise some money to help towards the financial costs."

A spokesman for the Met Police has not confirmed the type of gun used but stated that police were called at 3.20pm on Friday.

He said: “Officers attended and found a horse deceased. A vet was called and enquiries are underway to establish the cause of the animal's death."

Detectives from Bromley CID are investigating.

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